AAP Releases Flu Season Steerage for Children

Flu season is approaching once more, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has up to date its suggestions on prevention and vaccination for 2024-2025. 

The assertion highlights a sobering reality: Not solely did influenza vaccination charges drop final yr, however pediatric deaths associated to flu rose, with probably the most deaths reported because the 2019-2020 season.

Here is what dad and mom have to know in regards to the flu in youngsters and getting vaccinated.

Flu Considerations for Children

Dad and mom who’ve had a toddler house sick in earlier years gained’t be stunned to study that flu is most prevalent in kids. These youthful than 5—particularly youthful than 2 and with underlying medical situations—are most probably to expertise an elevated threat of issues and hospitalization.

“A variety of the struggling we noticed final yr might have been prevented or at the least lessened in severity by immunizing extra youngsters with influenza vaccine,” says Kristina A. Bryant, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Illnesses (COID) and lead creator of the flu coverage assertion and technical report.

Dr. Bryant additionally tells Dad and mom, “Some dad and mom could not understand that influenza could cause extreme or life-threatening infections, even in wholesome kids, and that flu vaccines can stop probably the most severe issues of flu.” 

What To Know In regards to the Flu Vaccine

This yr’s flu vaccine is trivalent. Certainly, dad and mom and caregivers shall be completely satisfied to know the immunization protects towards three strains of the sickness. As for who ought to get vaccinated, and when, listed here are the Cliffs notes:

• All kids over 6 months and with out medical contraindications ought to get vaccinated.
• Some individuals want two doses, corresponding to youngsters between 6 months and eight years who’ve by no means been vaccinated earlier than, in addition to these whose vaccine standing will not be recognized, or who acquired only one dose earlier than July 1, 2024. The 2 doses ought to be administered at the least 4 weeks aside. 
• Different kids obtain one dose for the 2024-2025 season.
• It’s advisable that vaccination takes place earlier than October, 31. 2024.

In the meantime, vaccination is protected and advisable for these pregnant and breastfeeding. “Being pregnant causes individuals to be at elevated threat for extra extreme and lethal flu sickness, which is a hazard not solely to the mom herself but in addition to the growing fetus,” Michelle Bennett, MD, FAAP, PLLC, a board-certified pediatrician at Elliston Pediatrics tells Dad and mom.

She provides that when persons are vaccinated throughout being pregnant, they go antibodies to the infant earlier than start. “The child is born with some flu safety that lasts for the primary a number of months, lowering the infant’s chance of flu sickness,” Dr. Bennett says.

Flu Shot or Nasal Spray for Children

Dr. Bryant emphasizes that everybody 6 months and older ought to be vaccinated. She additional explains, “There are two sorts of vaccines. The flu shot will be given to kids of all ages. A flu vaccine given as a nasal spray will be given to most wholesome kids 2 years and older.” 

Discuss to your well being care supplier to find out which model is greatest suited in your baby, in addition to to debate any allergy symptoms or present medical situations.

“Extreme allergic reactions to flu vaccines are uncommon, however kids who’ve had a extreme response ought to see an allergist to find out whether it is protected to obtain one other flu vaccine,” Dr. Bryant says.

Specialists Weigh in on Declining Flu Vaccine Charges

Per the AAP report, vaccine charges haven’t been this low since pre-COVID occasions. Sadly, racial disparities exist within the vaccination charges seen final yr.

General, 57% of youngsters and adolescents have been vaccinated final flu season—that’s just like the 2021-2-22 season however down from nearly 63% within the 2019-2020 season, per Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) information.

Solely 49% of Black kids have been vaccinated final yr, whereas 51% of white youngsters obtained influenza vaccines. In the meantime, 60% of Hispanic youngsters have been vaccinated. Children dwelling in rural areas had decrease vaccination charges than in city settings. In-hospital deaths have been highest amongst Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander kids.

“We’re positively seeing a troubling, downward pattern in vaccine acceptance,” says Ari Brown, MD, an Austin, Texas-based pediatrician and founding father of the Child 411 e-book sequence and dad or mum training. “It is doubtless quite a lot of societal elements which have led to this however I’m hopeful that all of us realized extra about infectious ailments after getting by means of the pandemic.”

Dr. Bryant says that within the early years of the pandemic, there have been only a few flu circumstances. “I think some dad and mom stop pondering or worrying in regards to the flu,” she explains. However final yr was a reminder that defending youngsters towards the sickness must be a precedence. “Throughout america, 1000’s of youngsters have been hospitalized due to flu, and greater than 190 youngsters died from flu-related issues,” Dr. Bryant stories.

Even with the eye-opening proof introduced within the AAP’s findings, there shall be dad and mom who’re uncertain about getting their youngsters vaccinated. Dr. Brown’s message for households is that this: “I hope persons are motivated to guard themselves and family members. As a pediatrician, I’ve all the time had nice respect for the way horrible infectious ailments, together with flu, will be, as a result of I’ve cared for sufferers who’ve been critically in poor health with it.” 

Dr. Bennett provides, “Flu vaccine has been round for a lot of, a few years now, and thousands and thousands upon thousands and thousands of doses have been given to kids. The security file is powerful.” 

Lastly, Dr. Brown urges that since some individuals, together with infants, can’t be vaccinated, they depend on others to guard them, and leaves us with this: “My mantra has all the time been, let’s stop what’s preventable.”